Shining Stars

The Sport of Philanthropy is a publication created by social enterprise Champions for Philanthropy that highlights exemplary philanthropic endeavors and activism among professional athletes, teams and major sports leagues.

For nearly two decades, former NBA star Jamaal Magloire has been quietly transforming the lives of youth in his native Toronto community. The first Canadian to play for the Toronto Raptors, Magloire signed with the team in 2011, returning home for his final season in the NBA after stints with several other teams during his 12-year career.

Photo: Jamaal Magloire

Magloire never really left his beloved community though, particularly the Scarborough neighborhood where he spent his childhood. From his Jamaal Magloire Basketball Association (JAMBA) youth summer camp to Toronto’s world-famous Caribana festival, Magloire always stayed committed to his roots even during his years away.

The son of Trinidadian immigrants, Magloire founded the Toronto Revellers organization in 2006 to promote appreciation for Caribbean culture. Still serving as bandleader of the organization’s over 2,000 masqueraders, volunteers and designers who participate in Caribana festivities every year, the troupe also features a junior children’s band.

Now a player development consultant and community ambassador with the Toronto Raptors, Magloire has taken on a more permanent leadership role in his home city since retiring from the NBA. While continuing to devote himself to local philanthropic efforts, Magloire launched the Jamaal Magloire Foundation in 2017 to increase his innumerable charitable endeavors even further.

In the past few months alone, Magloire has spent time visiting sick children in the hospital, hosting a backpack drive for students, helping nonprofit organization Children’s Breakfast Club provide healthy meals to kids in need, promoting the “Smile Cookie” charity campaign in partnership with Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons, and visiting residents and donating holiday gifts at Covenant House youth homeless shelter.

After suffering the devastating loss of his 19-year-old half-brother gunned down in Toronto in 2001, Magloire’s drive to honor his brother’s legacy and create opportunities for positive youth development runs deep. A social work major at the University of Kentucky, the 1996 NCAA champion is showing no signs of letting up as a champion for youth in his hometown.